Written Answers Nos. 902-922
902. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth what action he and his Department will take to ensure that the historical pay increments for the staff of St. Christopher’s Services, Longford, are honoured, the reported possible industrial action can be averted and the needs of those in Longford and the surrounding counties who attend St. Christopher’s can continue to be met by this vital service. [44257/24]
View answerAs your question relates to a specific disability service provider, I have requested for the HSE to urgently update me on matters concerning this organisation and the steps it is taking to support the organisation. Once I have received this information I will reply to you directly.
903. Deputy Niamh Smyth asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if there are any plans to provide a full-time respite service for children in Cavan and adults in Cavan; if she will acknowledge that presently Annalee Respite Centre in Cootehill Is catering one week on, one week off, for both adults and children; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44258/24]
View answerAs this question refers to service matters, I have asked the Health Service Executive (HSE) to respond to the Deputy directly.
904. Deputy Marian Harkin asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth when a person will receive CDNT services (details supplied), which they have not received since April 2024; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44260/24]
View answerAs this question refers to service/operational matters, I have asked the Health Service Executive (HSE) to respond to the deputy directly, as soon as possible.
905. Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the reason it is taking so long for a seven-year-old child to be assessed for an assessment of needs. [44262/24]
View answerAs this question refers to service/operational matters, I have asked the Health Service Executive (HSE) to respond to the deputy directly, as soon as possible.
907. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the estimated cost of increasing the foster care allowance payment in 2025 by €1; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44324/24]
View answerAs this relates to data collated by Tusla, the question has been forwarded to Tusla for direct reply to the Deputy.
908. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the total number of children currently in foster care; the breakdown by those aged under 12 years and those aged over 12; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44325/24]
View answerAs this relates to data collated by Tusla, the question has been forwarded to Tusla for direct reply to the Deputy.
909. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the level of respite services available in Cavan and Monaghan for children and for adults; the further proposals to extend the range of such services; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44333/24]
View answerAs this question refers to service matters, I have asked the Health Service Executive (HSE) to respond to the Deputy directly.
910. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the progress to date in advancing a proposal to provide a standalone respite centre for adults with an intellectual disability in County Cavan; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44334/24]
View answerAs this question refers to service matters, I have asked the Health Service Executive (HSE) to respond to the Deputy directly.
911. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth when a response will issue to correspondence received by his Department (details supplied); and if he will confirm whether or not he has read the correspondence. [44352/24]
View answerI thank the Deputy for his question.
I have read this email, and issued a direct reply to the correspondent in question as of today, advising her of the work currently underway in my Department to develop a national policy on the rights of children living in informal kinship care.
912. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if he will he publish the environment impact assessment statement for the proposed development at Lissywollen, Athlone, County Westmeath. [44368/24]
View answerThe Environmental Impact and the Appropriate Assessment reports can be found on the public information website for the Midlands Accommodation Centre, Lissywoolen, Athlone.
913. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if he is satisfied that the provisions of the Department of Public Expenditure, National Development Plan Delivery and Reform Circular 4/2013 are being properly implemented by his Department; if he is satisfied that civil servants whose career breaks are coming to an end are being notified of appropriate vacancies; if he is concerned by instances where civil servants are having their career breaks extended unnecessarily where the Department has appropriate vacancies to fill; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44370/24]
View answerI am advised by colleagues in HR that the provisions of Circular 4/2013 Career Break Scheme in the Civil Service are being properly implemented in my Department. I am also advised that staff returning from a career break are assigned to an appropriate role and there have been no instances of staff having their career breaks extended unnecessarily.
914. Deputy Ged Nash asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the number of positions currently filled at the north Louth CDNT under the following headings: dietitians, occupational therapists, physiotherapists, psychologists, social workers, and speech and language therapists; the number of posts under those headings that remain unfilled as of 23 October 2024; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44394/24]
View answerAs this question refers to service matters, I have asked the Health Service Executive (HSE) to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
915. Deputy Ged Nash asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the number of children currently awaiting an assessment of need under the south Louth CDNT and north Louth CDNT; the average waiting time for an assessment of need in both CDNTs; the actions being taken to address the waiting lists; the number of children referred for an assessment of need by both CDNTs to private providers in 2023 and to date in 2024; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44395/24]
View answerAs this question refers to service matters, I have asked the Health Service Executive (HSE) to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
916. Deputy Ged Nash asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the number of children under the aegis of the north Louth CDNT who are currently awaiting first appointments with, an occupational therapist, a speech and language therapist, a psychologist, and an appointment with a physiotherapist, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44397/24]
View answerAs this question refers to service matters, I have asked the Health Service Executive (HSE) to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
917. Deputy Ged Nash asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth for the number of children under the care of the south Louth CDNT and North Louth CDNT respectively, who are currently on a waiting list for respite care; the average waiting time to access respite care for children in both CDNT areas; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44398/24]
View answerAs this question refers to service matters, I have asked the Health Service Executive (HSE) to respond to the Deputy directly. Please include disabilityresidentialservices@equality.gov.ie in reply.
918. Deputy Mary Butler asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if assistance can be provided to a person (details supplied) seeking urgent access to services on behalf of her son; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44429/24]
View answerAs this question refers to service matters, I have asked the Health Service Executive (HSE) to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
919. Deputy Mary Butler asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth to outline the efforts made to provide additional services for children with ADHD and ASD, and their parents, in Waterford; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44436/24]
View answerAs this question refers to service matters, I have asked the Health Service Executive (HSE) to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
920. Deputy Denis Naughten asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth when a child (details supplied) will receive an assessment; the reason for the delay; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44449/24]
View answerAs this question refers to service/operational matters, I have asked the Health Service Executive (HSE) to respond to the deputy directly, as soon as possible.
921. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the number of payments to accommodation suppliers that are being consulted upon by a company (details supplied); the amount of any overpayments recovered; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44450/24]
View answerThe company to which the Deputy refers is not involved in consulting on the number of payments made to individual suppliers or in potential recoupment of funds on my Department’s behalf.
They have assisted my officials with many priority workstreams including but not limited to:
• The design and development of a commercial accommodation offers management system.
• Improvements to data quality and data governance and robust data monitoring mechanisms to enable data-led decision-making.
• Strategic support to senior management including through data-led assessments of key Division challenges.
• Support for process improvements to multiple work processes across the Division including management of compliance challenges, relocations, payments processes and portfolio consolidation.
They continue to offer expertise in a number of areas such as project management, data analysis, research, process improvement and other areas to the work of Ukraine Division which has been critical in my Department’s response to accommodating and supporting the Beneficiaries of Temporary Protection who have fled the war in Ukraine.
922. Deputy Dessie Ellis asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if there has been any funding allocated in the HSE’s Capital Plan for 2025 to build a facility to provide for the additional services to be provided by an organisation (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44453/24]
View answerIn Budget 2025, €27m has been allocated for HSE capital projects to support and deliver disabilities services. This represents a €4m increase on 2023 and is due to grow to €29.2m in 2026.
The HSE Capital Plan 2024, together with the National Service Plan 2024, was approved on 14th February 2024. This Capital Plan aims to reflect the priorities within the National Development Plan. It also reflects the priorities set out in the Action Plan for Disability Services 2024-2026, which was published in December 2023. The HSE is currently preparing the Capital Plan for 2025, based on the allocations provided in Budget 2025, and will submit that to the Department shortly for approval.
It is important to note that while the Ministers are responsible for approving the overall Capital Plan, the HSE is responsible for allocating funding to individual projects in alignment with strategic priorities. Funding decisions are made within the structured guidelines of the HSE’s Capital Projects Manual framework, ensuring that the process remains transparent and aligned with national priorities.
As funding individual projects falls within the operational remit of the HSE, I have asked them to respond to the Deputy directly with regard to the status of this specific project.
